In January 2020 a local resident and Veteran, Tony Lombardo, met with First Selectman Danielle Chesebrough to share an idea to create an all-inclusive Veteran monument to honor all military Veterans from WWI and on who call the Town of Stonington “home”. The Office of First Selectman took on the challenge to make the vision a reality.

Working in partnership with Rich Brooks of Buzzi Memorial, plans were created for design and construction of an eight-sided granite monument, showcasing etched drawings from local artists on each side. The monument utilizes a new technology called Near Field Communication that allows visitors to use their smart device to tap the lower right corner of any of the porcelain artwork panels which will bring visitors to this dedicated website. You may need to enable NFC on your device or download an NFC reader. This dedicated website allows visitors to view or search the list of over 6,000 Veteran names, watch interviews with local Veterans or learn about the artwork and history of the project. It also allows for names of Veterans to continue to be added over the years.

An advisory group was formed and included representatives from the Stonington Historical Society, Ocean Community Chamber of Commerce, Chelsea Groton Bank, Stonington High School, VFW 1265 Harley P Chase Post, local Veterans and residents. The group discussed areas such as research, outreach and fundraising. To develop awareness of the project, many strategies were used including discussions on local radio, articles in newspapers, letter writing campaigns, fundraisers, dine-to-donate, information booths at local events, meetings with veterans, and more.

The Police Department grounds were determined to be the most desirable location due to high frequency of traffic, ample parking as well as lighting and safety. Their ongoing support for this project is greatly appreciated. The Stonington Department of Public Works and Engineering took on a range of site preparation work and their dedication to ensuring the grounds were ready for the monument was exceptional. Further, the Stonington Beautification Committee provided guidance on the types of plantings around the monument and the funding for the plants was donated by the Commission on Aging. SEC-TV support enabled the capture of personal stories, better connecting visitors with history. Stonington IT Director helped ensure the new website would bring the monument’s broader goals to life for visitors. Similarly, four local artists helped tell a story through their original art work, educating those visiting the site about our shared history and the meaning of veteran service to our country. While at various points throughout this journey roadblocks were hit, the First Selectman worked in collaboration with these and other partners to ensure this project would be completed. Throughout all of this, there was one person who worked tirelessly, weaving together the many moving pieces of the project – and that was Stacey Haskell. It is thanks to her hard-work and leadership that this community project could be unveiled on Flag Day 2023.

The monument’s cost was approximately $200,000. Funding sources included a combination of sponsorships, donations, grants and town support. With over 400 donors participating, donations ranged in an amount of $1-$20,000. Although the initial fundraising goal has been surpassed, donations will continue to be collected for future projects at the site, including landscaping, uplighting, additional education and engagement activities, and general maintenance of the monument.

We are thankful to all the donors, volunteers and members of the Stonington team who made this project possible and look forward to the continual honoring of our local veterans.

Artist Selection Process

In September, 2022, the First Selectman, with support from the Board of Selectman and Finance, put out a search for local artists to share design concepts for art work that would adorn the eight sides of the Veteran Monument. The request was for artist(s) to share designs that would tell a story educating those visiting the site about the history and meaning of Veteran service to our country.

Artists submitted design concepts to the First Selectman’s office in early November, 2022 with a subset of members from their monument advisory group reviewing and approving the submissions.

The artists chosen to complete the project and share in the $10,000 ARPA funded award included Sandra Alexander, Elizabeth Anderson, Gary Anderson and Sarah Downie. Working independently, while collaborating towards a centered theme for the art installation panels their final designs were submitted in January 2023.

Donors

The monument was made possible through the generosity of over 400 donors with donations ranging from $1-$20,000. The names of all donors are listed on the donor page of this website. When visiting the site, you will notice five granite benches surrounding the monument. Four of the benches are inscribe with donor names who met the criteria of the sponsorship level (donations between $1,000-$9,999) or Benefactor Level (donations between $10,000-$24,999). The fifth bench thanks those whose efforts helped to bring the monument to life.